Classical
by kayono
Summary: AU It appeared to be a kidnapping attempt. But, as Tsuna finds out, the truth isn't what it appears to be. At the very least, this should help boost his history marks. Multi x-over, various pairings. Also titled "The Medusa Project"
1. Prologue and Journals

**_Day I'm not sure of month I'm also not sure of year I also don't know but I hope it's the same one I last remember living in._**

I'll just call this "Day 1 (of being awake)."

So.

I'm... not entirely sure what to write here.

The person who says I'm supposed to call him sensei but I would much rather call 'kidnapper' also says that it's a good idea for me to write down my thoughts every day. I haven't ever tried to keep a diary before (thought "sensei" calls it a journal), since... well, I'm not too good at _anything_.

I don't actually _want_ to do this, but I'm stuck in this room (the door's locked), the only thing out the window is the outside wall of the building next door, and the only thing inside the room is a bed, this notebook and a pen. Okay, it's a nice notebook--I'm sure it didn't come from the nearest corner store, and no one's ever bought me something like this before. Sure, mom buys me food and clothes, but those are necessary and practical things.

My first present is a (nice) notebook that is supposed to be a journal. That's... sad, somehow. Oh well--I'm sad. And pathetic.

Mostly, at the moment, because I accepted said present (kind of), and I'm actually doing what "sensei" said I should do. Which really _is_ pathetic: taking orders from your kidnapper.

Isn't there some term for that, where the kidnappee starts to warm up and accept to the kidnapper? Not sure--vocabulary and word lists were never my thing. I have enough trouble remembering common words, let alone all those strange medical words and terms and... things.

Well, the light outside the window is dimming and I have no idea where the light switch is in here, so I guess I'll have to stop writing soon. Now. Ish.

Anyways, that bed looks comfy. Guess I'll sleep and start again in the morning.

Wonder if I get anything to eat...?

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**_Day 2_**

I've decided that I'm probably going to go insane. I'm _still_ doing what "sensei" says for me to do.

I've been up now for... two hours, maybe. The sunlight coming in through the window (however little there is) hasn't changed much, and it's still not as bright as it was yesterday around what I think might be noon. I can't really see the sky outside, so for all I know it might be cloudy and I've actually been awake for ten hours.

The point is, I'm hungry.

Still haven't seen "sensei" again, not since I woke up yesterday. You would think that a kidnapper would have _some_ interaction with their kidnappee. I don't know what that would entail... maybe, um, torment them, try to get information out of them, figure out who to call and extort or blackmail or threaten or get money from. But, unless I talked in my sleep (which is possible) or he already knows everything he needs to know about me (which would be weird), then he's not a normal kidnapper.

Or maybe he is and I've watched too many movies.

(On a side note, I'm impressed that I know the word 'extort', but I also blame that on my mom's decision to make every Friday night a movie night for us two.)

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**_Day 3_**

I'm thinking that maybe this is all some kind of experiment.

You know, where people set up situations and see what the guinea pigs do, since said lab rats haven't been told that they're actually in an experiment.

OR that's probably just my mind trying to make better of the situation than it is.

Regardless, I'm pretty sure that it's almost sunset on day three, and I still haven't seen "sensei" or been fed. Or given water to drink (and I'm THIRSTY. The hunger went away sometime this morning, but the thirst is horrible). On the plus side, that means I haven't need to go to the washroom and therefore the room doesn't stink.

That does make me wonder how long I was out if my body's already gotten rid of everything it can get rid of. Or maybe this is like those survival stories I hear about, where people who don't get to eat or drink a lot stop having normal body, er, functions, and their body starts eating other not-very-important parts of their bodies to keep the important parts working.

If that's the case, I'd give myself another day or two to live.

It's kind of sad that that doesn't bother me that much. I mean, yeah, my mom would be sad, but she's the only one. Dad's out of the country and BEEN out of the country for five straight years now (or, I _think_ it's been five, as long as it's the same year as I last remember it being), and I don't really have any other family or friends. And... I'm rather useless. My nickname IS "No-Good", and I know that I'm NOT good at anything. I'd probably never be able to succeed in anything let alone get a job anywhere, right?

So... all that really amounts to me just being a... well, a waste of space. And if I die and someone else can take my space, and do a good job and earn this place? Then it only makes sense to stand aside.

...yep. I just wrote that I don't mind dying. But I'm too much of a coward to even think about suicide, so I guess this is actually good (the whole not-eating-starving-and-probably-going-to-die-of-malnutrition). I'm pathetic.

But that's old news by now.

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**_Day 4_**

Well... I just realized that the room _does_ have lights, but they're those "clap-on-clap-off" things that only work half the time. (Sad part: only realized that after falling off the bed and making a loud enough noise that the lights turned on.) So I spent the entire day playing with them (...wow, am I easily amused) and that means now it's night, but I'm writing this when I'm normally asleep because I have LIGHT.

I think I have discovered why the ancient peoples put so much stock in fire. I don't have any food to cook, but just having _light_ is great.

Thank you, amazing people who first created fire-slash-electricity-slash-light bulbs, and I don't care if you're mortal or god.

Besides that, I have nothing to else to say except for the same "isn't my life pathetic" that I did yesterday, so I won't bore you with that.

Who "you" are I have no idea. The god of the journal? Ha. That's kinda funny. I think some religions had gods and goddesses for practically everything, though, so it's possible.

Or maybe I am going crazy, as I said I'd do on Day... 2. And hey, that last part rhymed--but who really cares?

-

_**Day 5**_

If I don't die today I'll probably die sometime tomorrow, so I don't know if this will be my last entry.

Then again, I could have my dates all mixed up and I won't actually die for many, many more days, so who knows.

On a semi-related note, I just realized that I might not actually be awake every day (that I might sleep through a whole day or two or ten or something between when I'm awake) so I guess I can't really say I've now been awake for over half a week, because I just don't know.

It's kind of weird, but kind of cool.

...yep, going insane.

I've decided that food and water and company is overrated. Clap-lights and paper airplanes beat them any day.

-

_**Day 6**_

Still not dead.

I tried opening the window (not to escape--just for kicks and maybe a breeze?). Of course, I forgot I was kidnapped. Silly me. That's only related because the window doesn't open, and what kind of self-respecting kidnapper would honestly put someone in a room with a window that they can FIT THROUGH and lock the door but not the window?

I'm not sure if I'm really insane yet or still getting there, because at least I'm not talking to myself and still know that I am an "I", even if I'm a pathetic "I". Not talking about yourself in the third person = not-completely-insane.

Or so I've heard (but that might have been another movie thing).

-

**_Day 7_**

So... I haven't talked about my kidnapper recently. Well, no, I did, but just to mention that he's not an idiot for locking the window.

But that doesn't really matter either, because "sensei" hasn't shown up again, my body is still eating itself, and I'm still probably going to die sooner rather than later.

This kidnapper? Sensei or whoever he is? Sucks.

-

**_Day 8_**

Over a week.

I can't feel my stomach trying to eat itself, but I'm not sure if that means I'm good to go for a while yet or if it means that my stomach's _already_ eaten itself and I'm about to die any second.

I'm at the point I'd be _willing_ to commit suicide, coward or not, if someone put a gun in here. It's BORING. (Maybe if I had some construction paper for multi-coloured paper airplanes instead of just the white-lined stuff?)

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_**Day 10**_

I skipped Day 9 because I dozed all day. I think I'm getting weaker, which means that, yes, I'm dying.

Yay.

Saw my mom in my dreams, too. She was doing fine, even if she was worried about me. In my dreams, I think she thinks I've been accepted to some prestigious boarding school. That's probably just my mind trying to reassure me.

Sadly enough, it worked.

-

_**Day 11**_

Last night, I dreamt of fire.

That's another thing to thank those great people who first discovered it for: fire would be _such_ a faster and easier way to go instead of starvation. Yeah, it'd HURT, but it'd only hurt for minutes, _maybe_ hours, and not DAYS. (Mind you, beheading would be even better, being just seconds, and freezing would be okay because I'd go numb and not feel anything, and dying in my sleep would be the best... or not, because that means I'd still have gone through all the other crap first. And yes, I just swore. It helps.)

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_**Day 12**_

Another dream of fire.

This one didn't hurt me--it was nice and warm and healing even. Like a warm blanket in the middle of winter, sort of.

Well... at least if I'm delusional, they're comforting delusions.

(And on another side note: I've realized that people didn't invent fire or create electricity or whatever, they discovered it. I would edit my entry for Day 4, but pen is hard to erase.)

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**_Day 13_**

Tired.

Dreamed of fire.

Can't get out of bed.

Too tried to throw planes.

Good night.

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**_23rd Day of August, 2010_**

This is my first entry in my third journal, since my first one, barely begun, was lost in the fire. My second one has to stay back at AFSRAM.

But in regards to that first journal? Turns out I was wrong about... oh, everything.

I'm nervous about heading home after so long, but I've talked to mom on the phone and she's doing fine. Apparently, she's planning a huge welcome home celebration in my honour, though it's just going to be the two of us.

I'm actually on the train right now, and there's a little girl looking at me from across the aisle. I don't see her parents anywhere... oh well. She's going to bug some other people now. From what I've seen, not much has changed. Mind you, we're still two hours away from Namimori, but I'm hoping it's mostly the same.

Mom's said that she and AFSRAM have enrolled me back in high school. I'll be going in almost halfway through the year and in my second year, which is weird since the last schooling I had was middle school. Still, they think it's a good idea and I can keep doing my Research, so I shouldn't complain. Loki and Mayura are all for it, too--they're even renting a house near mine. They _say_ it's to stay close and allow for more research and work to be done. I think they just want a place to hide away when the rest of their family gets too crazy.

...I'm not sure if I'll miss AFSRAM. I mean, yes, it's amazing there, but it was all _work_. Mom wasn't there, and there wasn't much time for friends and parties and even just hanging out.

Er, except for with my roommate. Out of everything to do with AFSRAM, I'll miss him the most. Yes, he was loud and annoying and obnoxious and both oblivious and far too observant, but... he was my first friend. He was loyal and kind and the reasons that made him loud and annoying and obnoxious and oblivious and observant are also the things that made him a treasured person in my life.

I know I'll see him again, once a year for re-examinations if nothing else, but... I've actually gotten used to the smell of smoke. (I'd need to, and not just because _he_ smokes. I don't. Smoke, I mean.) I think I'll go buy incense or something when I get off the train, before heading home. Not for prayers or anything. Just for the smoke--the haze and the scent and the almost overpowering feeling.

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_**24th Day of August, 2010**_

Dinner was great last night. As much as mom didn't want to she had some kind of meeting to attend to (I think there was just a really good sale on somewhere) and had to run off, so I have the house to myself.

It, frankly, is WEIRD. No matter how silent or work-focused or hazy or even, sometimes, unpleasant AFSRAM could be, at least there were always people around. Now, half the time, to find the nearest person I have to look two, three, sometimes even ten houses over.

Before, I didn't mind being alone. Now I can't stand it.

I almost can't wait to go to school, which I won't do until the middle of September (I think it's to let me get settled in). At least then I'll be surrounded by people again, even if they all hate me.

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_**2nd Day of September, 2010**_

I have my school uniform.

That doesn't matter, though--I'm currently on the train back to AFSRAM. There's been a new development in my Research, and, according to the phone call, the "team" just isn't complete without me. Of course, it was Loki on the phone, so I'm not sure just how serious he was, but it was a call back to AFSRAM, so I'm going.

I hope it isn't too greusome this time....

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**_14th Day of September, 2010_**

I'm packing to head home again, since I have to start school in three days. I've spent the last twelve days here, looking at the new... 'development'. I _really_ want to stay here and keep working on it, but Sensei made a good point: I can't actually do anything with the information we have in our current conditions. By getting out to Namimori, at least I'll have some new ground to work with.

Turns out my old roommate's Research is moving along well, too, and he's actually out to Field at the moment, just finishing it up before moving onto his next project. He's been to Field, actually, since I left the first time, so I haven't seen him at all. Our room feels rather empty without him. And yes, it's still our room. Although it's in the dormitories, Sensei and the Admin feel that we'll probably be spending a lot of time here on occasion, so it's better to just let us keep this room as our own instead of making us stay in hotel rooms somewhere an hour away and make us commute every day.

It's nice of them, actually.

But being back here... it's refreshing. Sort of. It's a love-hate relationship, I guess.

I'm looking through my second journal, and... well, it's no wonder I have to leave it here. There's some sections that I don't even want to share with my roommate, let alone the rest of the world (and, knowing me? I'd lose it at school or some other public place and someone would read it and then spread it around, and... well, it'd be BAD).

Oh well--back to packing. My train leaves in three hours, and I need to be there an hour before hand to check in and everything. At least the train leaves straight from here, AFSRAM. Less walking and running and stressing about being late.

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_**22nd Day of August, 2010**_

I'm going home tomorrow.

Mixed emotions isn't the way to describe it (being too mild), since I want to see mom but I don't want to leave. Besides, the Medusa Project isn't nearly finished, though I wish it was--then I could move onto something less traumatizing.

Hayato's both happy and upset, too. He knows how I feel about both this place and Namimori. He's offered to go home with me, put his own Research on hold, but I've looked at his most recent work (again, as always, at his insistence) and he's close to finishing it. So, I've struck a deal: he finishes his Research first, then he can come and stay with me and mom and either help with the Medusa Project or he can come anyways and work on a new Research. Either way, I get the feeling that making this deal means I'll be stuck with him for a while, if not forever.

I wonder if it's selfish and horrible of me to think that would be great.

Looking back, I'm always surprised by exactly _how_ we became friends.

Ha... forget that, I'm surprised that we're even here in the fist place. I always thought that places like AFSRAM were top-secret government facilities or illegal organizations, not... well, this.

Heh... oh well. I need to finish packing, since I'm taking the early train tomorrow, and then Hayato, Loki, Mayura, Ceil, and Sebastian are going out to some dance club that both Loki _and_ Mayura like (which is somewhat frightening, all things considered). Hayato's already come in twice to ask if I'm done yet and would I like to see what, exactly, the rest of them have decided is an appropriate outfit for me? That's more frightening than what kind of dance club would suit both Loki and Mayura's tastes.

It's been a bumpy, horrible ride to get here, but I've done it. Somehow. And this little book, which I'm now scribbling on the back cover of? This little thing is my only witness to every part of it.

My name is Deucalion to AFSRAM and the Hidden World, Sawada Tsunayoshi to the Outer World. My life has been absolutely crazy but, and I say this with affection, amazing; and this is the record of it.

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**Classical  
**

**OR "The Medusa Project"  
**

_**Myth 0: Prologue and Journals**_

The author and fangirl who goes by the alias of kayono on fanfiction dot net would like to supply a disclaimer for the entire fiction entitled "The Medusa Project" in the KHR! section. "kayono" does not own nor have any rights to Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, The Mythical Detective Loki RAGNAROK, Kuroshitsuji ("Black Butler"), Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Fringe, Tales of the Abyss, Persona 3, all existing world-wide myths and legends, nor any other serial, novel, reference book or other medium listed within, unless otherwise noted.

The usual warnings and such for a T (possibly later M) rated piece apply.

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I'm going to take up probably a lot of space with these first notes since I won't be writing any other notes or any of my usual non-fiction writings from here on.

I've been playing with the idea behind "The Medusa Project" for a while. It IS an AU, and heavily influenced by many, MANY other sources, some of which I forget or am too lazy to cite properly (all of which I ALSO don't own). Of the ones I'm not too lazy to cite are those listed in the disclaimer, as well as Prometheus and the Gate Keepers and Flame Keepers from madashes2ashes's "Flames and Family" series, though I must admit I'm still only around chapter 60 or so of part 3. Another source that, so far, is _not_ part of "The Medusa Project" besides in parentage of this brainchild is Oh! My Goddess! and its organization of Yggdrasil. Stargate (the movie), Stargate SG-1 (the series) Stargate Atlantis (the spin-off series) and other Stargate-related mediums may also claim credit. I must also credit the new (to me) series "Fringe" for providing me with information, a base idea, and an excuse to include science, quantum physics, and Dark Matter into this. My irl friends have also been great help when it came to looking at the different myths, since one is another History/Classics major, one is an aspiring author/director whose work is heavily based in mythology, and one is obsessed with God of War and therefore wants to know everything about the Greek myths and forces the rest of us into researching them.

With the revelation of Tres-ni-sette being the "cornerstones of the world", Amano-sensei has opened KHR! up to my mythological ponderings, which have been spurred on by madashes2ashes' Prometheus and the canon inclusion of the Six Paths and supernatural abilities. As of this moment (and, hopefully, for the rest of the time I'm working on this, unless my brain gets screwed around with again), the idea behind "The Medusa Project" is as such:

Though Vongola is known for its Dying Will Bullet, it's been proven that, when properly trained, one of Giotto's descendents can use their Dying Will Flame and Hyper Intuition (?) at any time as long as they have a medium (usually a weapon) to channel said Flame through. Also, as long as a person has a strong resolution, they are capable of manipulating their own Dying Will Flame using the specifically made Ring as a conduit--therefore, Flame is something everyone has, even if they do not have the capabilities of using it normally.

In Mediteranean mythology (specifically, the Greeks and Romans), there are a fair number of beings associated with fire: Vesta (Rome)/Hestia (Greek), Apollo (both), Prometheus (Greek), Helios (both), Vulcan (R.)/Hephaestus (G.), just to name a few. Some of the connections are direct (Vesta/Hestia being "fire goddesses", Vulcan/Hephaestus using fire in his forge) and others are indirect (Helios being the god of the sun, the sun being just one big ball of fire). The myths in question at this point are regarding Prometheus, with occasional references to Hestia/Vesta.

Though I won't go into it in detail since it will be explained later and/or you probably already know about it, the basic story of Prometheus goes like this: he was one of the Titans, but sided with Zeus and the gods in the Great War (Titans versus gods). When the gods no longer wanted to dine with mortals, Prometheus (lit. "Fore-thought") was assigned to divide the food. He took a cow and placed the best meats inside the slimy stomach and bones removed of all meat and good stuffs in the "glistening, rich fats" (51, "Prometheus", Greek Myths by Shoshanna Kirk). He then told the gods to choose which bundle they'd prefer--they chose the fats and, therefore, the bones. Zeus was angry at this and took it out on humans. Prometheus, guilty/worried/whatever went to Olympus and stole fire by hiding it in a hollow walking stick of fennel and then gave fire to humans. Zeus was so angry at Prometheus constantly tricking him and the gods that he sent some of his sons, Kratos (power) and Bia (force) to bring Prometheus to Caucasus Mountains in Scythia and turned him mortal, later binding him there. Then an eagle (some say vulture/seagull/raven/bird of prey) was set to feast on his liver and insides during the day. At night, when he was dead, his body would regenerate, so that in the morning the bird could return and resume its feast on fresh meat.

Some myths say that Prometheus is still there; according to others, Heracles (Hercules) saved Prometheus as one of his Tasks/Labours. There are other myths involving Prometheus (the Flood, Pandora, Chiron, for examples), and while the Flood occured while Prometheus was bound, and Pandora -probably- occured during that period, the other myths, like Chiron's, might have been before or after. If Chiron's myth is after, then it can be assumed that Prometheus lived as a mortal for a while before, once again, becoming immortal (as is hinted at the end of the Chiron myth).

Fire, in legends and mythology, isn't always literal--often, the authors are refering to either heat (the obvious) or knowledge/understanding (the not-so-obvious). Prometheus, being "Fore-thought", would be an excellent bearer of knowledge and advanced brain functions to the mental midgets of, at this point... 34,000 years ago. (It's been about 4,000 years since these myths first started circulating, and Prometheus was bound to the Caucasus for 30,000 minimum.)

This has been coupled with the Roman worship of Vesta and the Sacred Flame (the "Vestal Virgins" were an integral part of Roman worship pre-Christianity) and the myths of Hestia, the eternal virgin goddess of the community, family, fire, hearth and house (an Olympian, daughter and oldest child of Rhea and Kronus). Hestia only has a few related myths, those referencing her birth, consumption and then regurgitation by her father, Kronus, her denial of Poseidon and Apollo, her pledge of chastity, and her possible giving up her seat as an Olympian for Dionysus. [I use 'Kronus' instead of 'Cronus' to help myself and readers differentiate between Kronus and his father, Chronos.] Vesta _doesn't_ have any myths pertaining to her. These references might not make sense now, BUT a bit of research might put you on the right track.

Anyways, the rest of the KHR! cast will appear, sometimes in different situations, sometimes exactly the same as they are in canon. And don't forget: this takes place in 2009 (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and Happy Chaunakuh and Happy Holidays and all that, btw), meaning it's out of canon (beyond TYE but before TYL), so besides certain titles and jobs and positions? We're going AU.

So, I believe that this is more than enough for my notes on this--any more myth-related information will be revealed in the story itself. Considering I'm still trying to work on my other pieces, this won't be updated frequently (when is _anything_ I do?), but I hope that all the readers will enjoy it.

As a final note, the journal entry style will not be the entire story. It will have its place, and there _will_ be many places, but naration will also take up a large part of it.

And come on, mixing Fringe Science and Mythology? That's a dream come true for me right there. I think I shall enjoy this.

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One final 'thank you' to Kristy who came out with some information about Hestia/Vesta and the lack of myths regarding them that I have yet to confirm but also happened to fit in perfectly with all this. You, my dear sister-in-law, get major kudos.


	2. Meeting

_**May 15, 2009**_

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

Sound. Sound is good. It means you're still alive.

You try moving parts of your body--arms, legs, fingers, eyelids.... You can't.

Sound is even better now, considering that's all you have.

"...is he awake?"

"If he is, we won't know. He's mummified in bandages, after all."

"I can see that."

Sound is especially good. You've never been one for eavesdropping, but you don't have much choice right now. And 'mummified' or not, your hearing's not impaired.

"...how are his wounds healing?"

"Better than expected, even _with_ his genetics."

"What you and the others did was horrible, you realize. Research or not, we're going to have to pull you up before Admin and the Board."

"We needed him to think that he was in a desperate situation."

"You were _starving him to death_. That would have been desperate even if he _did_ know what was going on."

"It worked."

"...you're sick."

Oh yes, sound was good. And enlightening. Perhaps you should make a point of listening to people and objects and scenery more?

"...well, I guess I need to ask. How long until he can be released?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure. Physically, he should be fine within a week. Mentally, though? I don't think it would be a good idea to place him among everyone else until we've completed his psych analysis. That even with the deterioration of his body he was able to hold out for so long...."

"According to the sensors in the room, he crashed all at once. That can't be healthy."

"No, not really. It was like his body was drawing on hidden reserves to keep him going normally when his normal supply of energy ran out, and then when _that_ ran out...."

"Like a battery, hm? It will keep a device working until it's depleted, and then just suddenly cut out and you have to replace it."

"Or, in this case, recharge it. Well... repair first and _then_ recharge. That wasn't just a battery using up its store of power--that was a power plant getting struck by lightning and cutting all power to a city after a huge power surge."

"A power surge that destroyed the entire building."

By now, you can differentiate between two voices--a male and a female. That's good, isn't it? You're getting all your senses and everything back. The male's voice is vaguely familiar. The woman's, however, is foreign enough to have an accent.

"True enough. I guess we just forgot what type of person we were dealing with."

The man's voice is light and easy... and something inside you says dangerous.

"And that's what's going to get you killed one day."

"You'll cry when that happens."

"I'll get everyone together and throw a party."

On the other hand, the woman's is dry and sarcastic. You wonder if that's really her personality, and decide, no, it's not. At the very least, she seems genuinely worried about you, if not the man.

"Ouch. You wound me."

"Keep it up and I _will_. Now... anything we can do for him to speed this up?"

"Nothing, really. We've exhausted all resources that can be used safely, and then some that can only be used unsafely. We even used methods we normally wouldn't to the point where using them anymore would cause irreparable damage instead of helping the healing process. We can only wait now."

"Hm."

"I have another patient to go see, and then I have to get back to my team. You know the way out?"

"I helped to design this part of the building, so of _course_ I'm going to get lost in it."

"Just checking. See you at dinner."

"Get out of here."

Sarcastic, yes, but she doesn't seem overly cruel, even to the other man. That, you decide, is a good thing. But she's silent now, which isn't a good thing, and you try to move, try to get her to talk.

Somehow, it works.

"Oi. I don't know if you're awake or not, and if you're not I'll feel really stupid talking to myself, so you better be. And I'll only say this once, so if you're not awake then you probably won't trust us, but he's an idiot, anyways, for doing this.

"You're currently in the hospital wing of an institution called AFSRAM. The building you were in was engulfed in a major inferno and you have first degree burns over ninety percent of your body. Considering that was an abandoned building, there were no other victims or casualties. The best part about all this? _You_ caused the explosion. That's why you're here.

"All the details will be explained later because even if you're conscious you probably won't remember them if I tell you them now. What I will say is that you're safe with us (most of us), and that your mother has been informed of the situation. On behalf of AFSRAM's administration, welcome, good luck healing, and don't hate us too much. We're not the nicest people, but our priority is survival and moving forward, not being nice.

"And don't worry--you'll get used to this."

You seriously doubt that you will if the rest of these AFSRAM people are as mean as the woman seems to be or as casually negligent with people's lives as the man apparently is, but considering most of your thoughts during your imprisonment were regarding how little value your life had, maybe you'd be a good compliment to these people who don't seem to hold anyone's life at a value above worthless.

Then again, she had said that their focus was on survival. So maybe they weren't completely heartless? That's all you can hope for, right now. And at least mom knows what's going on--if these people were bad, she'd surely come and get you out of here. Right?

Right, you decide, because at least you know that _she_ isn't heartless.

It only occurs to you later that the woman might have been lying about telling mom, but then you think, no, she wouldn't. She's not the type of person to lie and say things just to make people feel better--that much you can tell just from what you've heard. Somehow, and you don't know how, but somehow you know that. And even if you're useless at everything else, at least you know that your instinct has never led you wrong before, and you can only hope that same instinct won't lead you wrong now.

You can hear the woman's footsteps walking away, a door opening and closing. You wonder if these people are your kidnappers, or related to those kidnappers. From the sound of it, probably. But it seemed you were right, that it had been part of an experiment.

...what kind of experiment starves people to _death_?

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

You ignore what she said about causing the explosion that landed you here and instead focus on getting back to sleep. The beeping of the monitor is annoying now, and there's nothing else to listen to, and therefore nothing else to do. Besides, both those movies you watched with your mom, and your mom herself always said that sleeping makes you heal faster.

You hope so--the bandages are starting to get itchy.

-

_**May 16, 2009**_

Trust isn't something you come by easily, or, not anymore. The strange woman you can't see because there are still bandages over your eyes cuts away the ones over your nose and mouth the next morning (you think it's the next morning, anyways).

"I know you're awake now," she tells you with a harsher edge to her words than before, "because I can see parts of your body twitching when I talk. By the way, I almost cut your mouth open." That would have been enough to make you flail in panic if not for the word 'almost' and the restraints still around your body. "I'm going to assume you heard what I said yesterday, and if not, you can deal with it and ask someone else. In the meantime, I'm going to try something that might earn us your trust."

You think that this is all some trick they're playing, but then you feel the bandages by your right ear being cut away, too, and then a long, thin piece of metal placed sideways, connecting your mouth and ear. You can feel something warm on your cheek, even through the bandages, and you realize that the woman is holding it in place. Then you feel something moving around your right hand, and just as suddenly you can move your fingers independently of each other.

"It's a phone. I'm going to put the number pad on the bed beside you. You can either tell me the numbers to dial or dial them yourself. Star, zero and pound are the bottom-most row, with 1, 2, and 3 going left to right above them, 4, 5, 6 left to right above those, and 7, 8, 9 left to right above those."

You try speaking a couple times, having to lick your lips and take a drink of water that the woman eventually hands you when you make no noise nor a move.

"A... alright," you finally manage, licking your lips again and beginning to dial, saying the numbers aloud to make sure that the woman will correct you if you make a mistake.

The phone starts ringing and you start hoping that, maybe, they won't just say that the line is disconnected (as you're expecting them to) and you can actually talk to who you want to talk to. It's another couple more rings, your hope fading with each one, before someone answers.

"Moshi moshi, Sawada Residence."

The sound of her voice makes you stop--that's definitely your mother, sweet and kind and as oblivious as ever, probably. It's both so surprising and so heartwarming that your throat closes and whatever small measure of speech you've recovered disappears on you.

"...hello? Is anyone there?"

You want to call out or say hi or even just sob, but it seems like every inch of your body has completely frozen up. After what you've been through, after what almost (nearly?) happened to you, it's hard to talk to her.

"If no one is there, I'm going to hang up now."

You try to chuckle and tell her that it makes no sense to talk to no one, even if she is just saying that she's going to hang up. But, though your body isn't still frozen and though you're mouthing the words you want to say, no sound is coming out.

The woman standing next to you gets impatient and grabs the phone, immediately starting up a conversation. "Sawada-san? It's Lal Mirch from AFSRAM. Your son, apparently, is too choked up to talk to you right now." Based on what you can hear in the woman's voice next and what you can hear from over the phone, your mother's apparently been reduced to the exact same state. "...since neither of you seem capable of talking right now, I'll let you get in touch later on, alright?" There's silence again before the woman agrees, "Yes, that's the correct phone number. You can call it any time. ... Yes, of course. Good night then, Sawada-san."

You can hear the woman hanging up the phone, and though you're sad and angry that you didn't get to speak, you also can't blame her--you wouldn't have been able to talk, anyways. You think she moves away, just a little to the right, and brings the phone and number pad with her.

"This phone will stay in this room, and whenever you feel the need to call your mother or anyone else you may, so long as you edit what you tell them."

It makes sense, but it doesn't mean you like it. "A-and what do..." you need to take a break and gather a breath, "do you mean by edit?" By the end you're straining and you break into coughs afterwards, but you think you can speak normally now. At least, you should be able to speak without gasping for breath.

"Simply that you can't tell them every single thing you do here."

"What can," another cough, but this one isn't nearly as bad. "What can and can't I tell them?"

"You're not a complete moron. Use your own discretion."

You think on that for a while, and eventually you decide that, probably, what you can't tell anyone will be obvious. Besides, what she's done by giving you a phone is a big sign of trust--though you can't trust them completely yet, at least you know that they -want- you to trust them. And if they do anything wrong, then you still have the phone to use, call for help or your mother or whoever.

The woman seems to have grown impatient with the silence, because she starts talking again.

"My name is Lal Mirch, Sawada Tsunayoshi. I know you probably want to know why you're here, but honestly, most of us wonder that exact same thing. Innocenti and Verde are complete bastards--at least Koenig has been looking after you."

"Um, I'm sorry... who?" You're grateful for her talking, though, as it distracts you from the tears that were threatening to spill over at the sound of your mother's voice.

"The three idiots who got you into this mess. But now that we've had a change to get a look at you, you're actually prime material to be here. I don't think Admin is going to let you go very easily. Actually, they'll probably put you in the accelerated program."

You would have blinked, if your eyes weren't still sealed shut under your bandages. "Then... this really is a school?"

"A school? Not a normal school, no, but it is an institution where you learn things, so in that sense, a little. Most of what you learn will be self-directed, based on what you choose as your Focus."

"Um... isn't that called a major?" To you, this is starting to sound more like a university program than anything.

The woman--Lal--takes a moment to consider it. "No, not really. A major is something you focus on in University and College, the major subject you're studying. A Focus is a little different."

"How?"

"Because," and by the sound of Lal's voice she's getting annoyed with all the questions, "a major is something you learn about, and _then_ go on to study or research more, if the need arises. Here, you're given one thing to concentrate on, and most of the time, it's something that's never been looked at before. You do the initial research, you come up with the first (or, sometimes, second) theories, you're the one who is supposed to know the subject inside out and backwards. That's a Focus. Your Focus is yours entirely, unless you choose to bring other people into your research and experiments."

She definitely sounds angry at the end of her little speech, but it's given you a lot to think on. You start making some connections in your head, and, "Is what happened to me part of one of these Focus experiments?"

She's silent for a long while, and you think that maybe she's fallen asleep or left very, very silently. You're about to try to fall asleep yourself when she chuckles and finally answers. "You've got some patience there, kid. Good. And, as far as we can tell, yes, it was part of an experiment. But Innocenti's a freak, Koenig's really only here to make sure you don't die, and Verde's more paranoid than your average mad scientist."

"Um... translation?"

"We don't want to ask Innocenti because he won't give us a straight answer, Koenig won't answer at all, and Verde will just freak out on whoever is asking and, in the end, not say anything, either. So, we THINK it's part of a Focus experiment, but with those three you never know."

"Then... why me?"

"Didn't I just say I don't know what they're up to?! How the hell would I know why they chose you out of everyone else?!"

You wince--Lal sounded _really_ angry, that time.

You think you hear her stand up, and then you know she's moving towards the door. "I'll go see if one of them is around. Maybe they'll speak to you, if not the rest of us." She moves off, mumbling things too low for you to hear, but you can bet that they're curses and complaints.

You're not sure how long it's going to take for her to get back, so you decide to give in to your body's demands and fall asleep again. At least now, you think, you can breath properly.

-

_**17th Day of May, 2009**_

Or... that's what the calendar says, anyways.

My writing is still a bit wobbly, but I've only had my bandages off my hands since yesterday morning. Lal and Verde say that it's a good idea to write a journal, to get back full movement of my hand.

Oh! Um... I know you're just a book, but I guess I should explain what's going on, if only so that I can remember how... whatever is going to happen, happened, if I ever need to look back on it. I can't imagine why I'd need to remember, but it might be useful sometime or other, right?

First of all, I was in that... room... for just over three weeks, so my dates in that old journal were wrong. On the other hand, said journal has apparently been incinerated, which means I don't have to worry about people reading what I've written. Of course, the only reason I'd be worried is because I think it was fairly strange and all. I think that I think it was.

I've now been in this hospital for just over two weeks. The first week I was unconscious and mummified, and this last week I've been conscious and mostly mummified. I like being able to move my hands again--I don't mind the rest of me being wrapped up in bandages and unable to move, but my hands are a must. Anyways, when I first woke up Lal and Innocenti were talking, though neither realized I was awake then. I haven't seen Innocenti since, but another doctor-person, Verde has been around and seems to know Lal really well. Both of them have been back every day since to visit.

The two of them are... um, strange. And short. Look-like-babies short. Lal Mirch has got blue hair and burns on her cheeks and wears really weird outfits and really advanced technology. She reminds me of some kind of Spartan Warrior or a general in an army or something... or maybe an assasin? Someone who's been trained to kill and knows how to train other people to kill. At the same time, she's actually not too bad. Cruel and cold and sarcastic, but beneath all that, she really seems to care about people. Not Verde, though, and apparently not me so much, but... people. I guess.

Verde is... weirder than Lal. She's a warrior, and scary, but she's still somewhat normal. Verde? Is like someone has decided to mix together every 'mad scientist' stereotype, make them even more super-paranoid than the 'normal' super-paranoid (except for around me and Lal and his "teammates", apparently), and then shrink them into a body about a foot tall when standing. He even walks around wearing a lab coat with burns and holes (from acids, I hope) and stains that I -really- don't want to know where they come from. He really is a scientist, too, but I'm glad he's not a doctor. Er, he is, but of some... science... stuff. He's not the one taking care of me.

The actual medical doctor, who knows about malnutrition and broken bones and first-degree burns and whatever else I was brought into the hospital "suffering from" (they seem to forget I was unconscious and not suffering at all) is named Koenig. I'm not one hundred percent sure, but his accent makes me think of someone from a Northern European country, although he looks completely Japanese. He's one of Verde's co-workers and "teammates" (for a game?), but at least he seems to be a bit more sane than the much, much, MUCH smaller doctor.

Apparently, it's the last of these "teammates" of Verde's that I have to thank for my situation. Innocenti (with help from someone named 'Grell', someone who Lal doesn't think much of) is another impossibly tall doctor and is also the one behind not only kidnapping me, but coming up with the 'plan' for which he 'had' to kidnap me in the first place. What this plan is, why he felt the need to kidnap me _and_ get this 'Grell' involved in it, and why it had to be _me_ of all people are questions that I have asked and have yet to get an answer to.

Lal, in fact, said that I should be grateful that I hadn't been too badly injured during the actual kidnapping, and at least I still have all my limbs, right? And Verde said something about being grateful that it was kidnapping and not, oh, lure-by-hostage or something.

Between the two short evil ones and the two tall evil ones, I'm not sure if this really _will_ be my last journal entry.

-

_**May 17, 2009**_

"So, Duke," Innocenti began, sitting down in a plush chair at the foot of Tsuna's hospital bed, "tell me how you feel."

Tsuna eyed him warily. "My name is Tsuna, not Duke, and you're not a psychologist."

Innocenti pushed glasses that he really _didn't_ need further up his nose with his middle finger, eyes still trained on a clipboard that had appeared on his lap. "In fact, I do have training in psychology. I just don't use it that often."

"Do you?" Tsuna blinked now, surprised--from his first time meeting the man (when he had awoken in the now nonexistent room) and the second time (two days after first meeting Lal and Verde), Innocenti had never seemed the most reliable man. Or, for that matter, entirely sane.

Innocenti nodded his head just enough for Tsuna to note that he had nodded. "I do. Parapsychology."

Tsuna stared, quite openly (and rudely). "I'M NOT A GHOST."

"You could have been!"

No, Tsuna quickly decided, this meeting or testing session or whatever it was? Was not going to end well. "But I'm NOT, and you're not a REAL psychologist."

"Parapsychologists are real psychologists," Innocenti mused, eyes _still_ on his clipboard. "We just deal with not-always-real-or-solid beings."

At this point, Tsuna was wondering if the other 'doctor' didn't need a psychologist himself. Maybe a therapist and a shrink and one of those nice, white, padded rooms, too.

"So, back to my questions. How do you feel?" Tsuna didn't answer. Innocenti _tsk_ed. "Really, try and be cooperative. You were before."

The glare Tsuna tried to shoot his way looked more like a pout. "I didn't _mean_ to cooperate before!"

"So you say," Innocenti brushed off his comment and rage like it was a not-very-annoying fly. "Then think of it this way: the faster you answer, the sooner we're done."

"...fine."

"So? How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good," Tsuna admitted, flexing his hands and fingers. "I think I've got most of my control over my hands back."

"Excellent. And the rest of your body?"

"Almost as good as before."

Innocenti frowned. "That, unfortunately for you, isn't good. 'As good as before' is an absolutely horrible value, and even ignoring all the mental and emotional issues you have, you're completely pathetic. We'll need to get you up to at least one thousand percent better than you were before in all aspects of life if this experiment is to succeed."

It took a couple minutes for that to sink in. "...WHAT?!"

"Oh, it's easy enough to understand," and the smile on Innocenti's face _really_ wasn't reassuring. "We're just going to train you everyday until you'll be a perfect combination of Herakles's strength, Athena's wisdom and cunning, Artemis' speed, Theseus and Jason's fighting abilities, and, hm, Sigyn's emotional strength and loyalty. How does that sound to you?"

Tsuna fidgeted. "Probably a lot better if I knew who those people were."

In the next second, Tsuna had now decided that Innocenti was a predator, and one that could probably scare all other predators in existence into extinction. _That_ grin didn't belong anywhere but on the face of a blood-thirsty creature on the hunt. "Oh, you'll know them soon enough. You just need to read. A lot."

Tsuna wasn't sure if he should be relieved or worried that he'd have to read a lot. On one hand, he was bored in the hospital. On the other, he was practically a perfect candidate for ADHD.

"So, back to the assesment. How about emotionally? And be perfectly honest."

Tsuna thought that over. Emotionally? Well... "First of all, I want to strangle you," he began with a careless tone, allowing anger and frustration to overrule common sense and courtesy. "And whoever this 'Grell' is... and Koenig and Verde for helping you. And Lal for not helping _me_. And myself, for being so pathetic. And my dad, for leaving. And pretty much everyone in Namimori for looking down on me and ridiculing me. And the gods and goddesses or Fates or Destiny or whoever or whatever made me like this, put me in these positions." Tsuna ran through everything in his head, paused. "...and dad again, but this time for my name (because the number of jokes people make about it is... well, there's a lot of jokes). Um... not mom, obviously. Well, maybe a little bit--she is, apparently, fine with all this. Uh... besides that, I feel a little tired. Not quite bone-aching, about to collapse tired, but more 'when is this going to end' tired. I'm also horribly bored, hate your plan for me (whatever it is) and want to say 'screw you' and walk out of here, but can't for obvious reasons."

He gestured to the casts and fibreglass casts and four inch thick bandages wrapped around every possible part of his body excepting his head, arms and hands.

Innocenti nodded, making notes on his clipboard. "Interesting. How do you feel now, after telling me that?"

Tsuna cocked his head. "Seriously?"

"Yes."

"...now it's more just wanting to strangle you. Everyone else can wait."

"Very interesting. Do you think it's just because I'm sitting here and the easiest to reach, or because I'm genuinely annoying and aggravating to you?"

A considering pause. "Probably both, I'd say."

"And now?"

"...yep, now it's strangling just you, and just because you're annoying."

"Well, unfortunately for you, you are my project, Duke," Innocenti was grinning eerily again, "and so you shall have to put up with my being annoying for a while yet. Then again, I shall be required to put up with your bumbling and idiocy for the same amount of time, so I suppose we shall just have to get along. We're going to be GOOD friends!"

Tsuna _seriously_ doubted that.


End file.
